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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-04-29, Page 4PA Q1,, 4 GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, APRI1, 2J, 1987 Volunteers are vital to any c•orrunurrity. But perhaps the role of the volunteer is magnified in sniall•er conunuruties and towns such as Goderich where they add inu:.easurably to the quality of life. This is Volunteer Week in Canada and while there is seemingly a designation of some description for every week of the year and for many noble causes, this one deserves some attention and recognition. For it is the volunteers in corrununi,ties like Goderich that make our towns vibrant and exciting places to live. The work of the volunteer impacts on every facet of life iii the corrununity, reaching out to help people in need while adding to the quality of life. Most weeks, the work of the volunteer is profiled and chronicled on the pages of the Signal -Star. And it really is amazing , to see how much we actually depend on the work of the volunteer. DAVE SYKES If the number of active service clubs can be used as a barometer to measure as cornrnunty's pultie, then there's no doubt that Godench is trona alive. There are a number of service organizations iii this town who give untiringly of themselves for others and the community. The work and efforts of the established service clubs in Godench such as Kinsmen and Kinettes, Rotary, Op- timists, Lion and Lioness, Legion Branch 109, Sorority groups, Legion Ladies Aux- iliary, Shriners, Naval Veterans, Block Parents, St. John Ambulance and Big Brothers Associations, is ambitious, generous in its scope and commendable. The mer and women who volunteer their time and talents for these service organizations should be commended for their work for their efforts do so much ' for the disadvantaged, the disabled, youth and the - community in general. But the work of the volunteer extends beyond formalized service groups and 'can be found in the hospital auxiliaries, church groups and fraternities such as the IODE chapters, Oddfellows, Eastern Star, and Rebekah Lodge. Through the efforts of these groups and organizations, money is raised for the hospital and specialized equipment, horne-stay is made more comfortable, the homebound are offered outings and many more services that may go undetected and unreported. It's a difficult task to collectively thank volunteers because their efforts extend into so many facets of community life and quite often we tend to take their con- tributions for granted. Millions of youngsters have learned the lessons of friendly competition, sport- smanship and team play because men and women have volunteered their time. and expertise for minor sports. Every community in Canada, regardless of size, has minor sports organizations and those organizations are only successful because of the volunteers behind the scenes. That aptly applies in Goderich where • men and women give of themselves for minor hockey, figure skating, ball, soc- cer, softball, ringette and other sports and recreation -related activities. Sometimes coaches, helpers, executive members and managers swill adinit the job seems like a thankless one, but the youth of our country are better off because people took the time to give of their time. The work of the volunteer extends beyond sports, service clubs, church organizations and fraternal groups. It can be found at the 4-H level and in the s" anks of our scout and guiding move- rhent. Volunteers can be found working for Family and Children Service or at the Bluewater Centre or at the library. The work of the volunteer is absolutely vital to the community and we thank all of you for time and talent. Opinion THE NEWS PORT FOR GODERICH iSIDISTRICT SINCE -1848 Goderice :fiEfEaT ALL ROUND CONMUNITv Nk W 9PAPEq IN CANACA SIGNAL -STA sa.® '2® HL1Ci<IN8 8T. ,INDUSTRIAL PARK. GODERICH, ONT. N7A 41361 PUBLISHED BY SIGNAL -STAR PUBLISHING. LIMITED Founded In 1848 and published users Wednesday at Ooderich, Ontario. Member of the CCNA. end OCNA. 8ubaoriptlon■ payable In advance $22.00, (Senior Citizen° 819.00 privllage card number required') In Canada, 880.00 to U'.B.A„ 880.00 to elLpither c untrlea, Single) copies 80• ,. Oleploy, National and Ciesallled advertising rotes available on request. Places, eek far Grate. Card No. 18 effective October 1, 1986. Advsrtlaing la accepted on the condition that In the event of a typographical error, the advertising epece'ocoupled. by the erroneous Item, together with the reasonable &Iowance for eigneture, «111 not be cherged'for but that balance of the edvertloement will ba paid for et the applicable) rata. In the event Of e typogrephlcel error advertising gooda'or /cervices et n wrong price, geode or ebrvicee may not be mold. Advertising le merely en offer to Bail, and may be, withdrawn et any citta, the Signal -Stet le net reeponelble for the isms, or damage of unsolicited menuecrlpte, photon or other materiel.. used for reproducing purp9ame. General Manager SHIRLEY J. KELLER Editor `DAVE SYKES Advertising Manager DON HUBICK 'FOR BIJBONE88 OR EDITORIAL OFFICES...p18888 phone [5191524-2614 Second class mail registration number 0716 •Mernber CNA Volunteers are ita „National Volunteer W.eek is being observed from April ?6 through to Miry 2 and the ()Meal designation proy'ides communities and' governments with the opportunity; to salute and thank the people who 'volunteer thefr time, efforts and talents. ' , • Volunteers are'simply vital to the quality IA life in a community like Goclerich. They con- tribute in a variety of ways and those contributions in)pact on our lives,and those of others. Volunteers may belong to formalized service, clubs or they may.avork behind the scenes ,in the guide or scouting movement, helping to shape the characters of our young people. They may be working diligently with church or hospital .groups or many of the fine fraternal .organizations.within the conununity. Or, perhaps, they may offer their time to minor sports organizations so young people can enjoy the friendly competition and sportsmanship that minor athletics offers. .' Volunieers,help out with social agencies to improve, in, some small way, the quality of life for the disabled or disadvantaged.• . , Volunteers area vital'resource Many community and their commendable efforts deserve recognition and our sincere thanks. 'D.S. Just who pays , he bills Prince Minister Brian Mulroney has, without doubt; faced some urgent questions about his leadership ability since he was elected to office says the Wingham-Advance Times, • Many of the doubts which have surrounded him have been .fostered by an opposition eager to cast hin5 in a bad light for any or every reason. And, of course, the media have been blam- ed for trying to crucify him. The ,latest story to break ',into the news reveals that the Mulroneys have. spent some $400,000 on renovations at the official' prinlesninister's residence at 24 Sussex Drive in Ot- tawa and'their• summer residence at Harrington, bake. No doubt, some changes and repairs must be made from time to time, but the voting public would, we believe, be relieved sonie time Soon to disc.4lver a leader and his wife who are sufficiently concerned about the responsibilities of office that they could manage to put up with their residences as they find there. In this particular case, however, the Mulroneys have succeeded in castini4 themselves in a familiar role,. Included in these latest expenditures was the remodelling of clothes closets so there 'would' be sufficient room to store 30 of the prime minister's suits and 84 pairs of shoes, including no less than 50pairs of expensive Gucci loafers and 100 pairs of shoes for his wife, Milo, according to a ('anadian Press story in the Globe & Mail. The report also includes the information that the PC party funds paid about $308,000 over the past two years to renovate, redecorate and furnish the official residences. Marc Lortie. the prime niinistcr's press secretary, has stated "a substantial amount" of the $308,000 has been repaid by Mr. Mulroney. No matter who or whht organization paid the bills, the ordinary ('anadian must be left to ati'onalcr about the type of person, who is leading the nation. flow can clothes and shoes he so important to a man burdened with the responsibility of state? And, of course, there is no escaping the inevitable comparison with the former first lady of the Philippines. "C QN41ECR6E, /11.1, 56/RX- A% l"JuLRon/Ey evouLpn/.yNJ1t/191,i wEW A TEEiVY®1r L9rE Wiry 00? 7.4X RE72.1RN TO FJX L)P 7H FRO//y.STEP Shiftin'v w ts a prelude Island $ 25 YEARS AGO April 26, 1962: With eight barges and one steamship left from the winter fleet of 19 vessels, Goderich harbour is well into its '62 season. The chorus of departive signals, three longs and two shorts, blasting around the docks Tues- day evening at 5 p.m., signified the depart ture of the A.A. Hudson on her first trip of the season. Skippered by Captain Dalt Hud- son, she was headed for Windsor and the start of her package freight trade, The tugs of MacDonald ,Marine Service have been busy shifting, ships from the back reaches of the harbour preparatoru to the irnrninlent removal of Ship Island, slated to begin shortly. This operation is expected to take two years for completion. The island, a rock based collection of gravel, has hindered ship movement in the back harbour causing more than one freighter to feel a rub on her bottom. Latest word is that Ontario Marine and Dredge of Toronto will do the removal. The newest project along the dock is the erection of, a frozen custard . and fried chicken refreshment building near the bathing house. Mr. W.J. Tares of West Street is said to be the proprietor. Unusally bright prospects for the local employment situation are the order of the day at the Goderich National Employment office. Since the beginning of April. 297 men and 45 women have found jobs, reducing the unemployment list to a much lower figure than was recorded at this period in 1961, Many of the workers ha ' returned to previous errlployers while , sine hav been placed in new situations. Continuing• bright prospects are expected •ecause of the con- siderable amount of co struction at present under way in the God • ich district, with an acceleration of tris rate as the LO r 1S oval late. Dr. J.B. Whitely, announced for fiNEEM Wednesday, May 5. The sale is to take place at the Agricultural Park. AC generalweather becomes better. 50 YEARS AGO April 30, 1937: At a special meeting of the County Home' committee of the county council on Thurs- day afternoon, the tender of the Clinton firm of Sutter and Perdue was accepted for the installation of a new water system at the home. The contract price is $1,300. There were six tenders. A new pressure system and water system is to be installed with a 5,000 gallon capacity tank to be filled from wells on the property. The cominittee also purchased 85 mixed apple trees for the or- chard at the Home. '70 YEARS AGO April 26, 1917: The' fleet of ships that wintered at:, Goderich has begun the season with the ex- • c eption of the steamer Edmonton, which • will not leave until the end of the week. The steamer WC Franz cleared on Tuesday evening and the rest got away Wednesday night. All the ships but the. steamers America and Franz are going to ' Fort William. These two have gone down the lakes for coal before taking the trip 'northward. This morning, when a truck owned by a Brittania Road resident, was cranked in reverse gear, it shot back over the sidewalk on Hamilton Street and crashed through the front of Ye Old Curiosity Shop. Window frames and" splintered glass flew for yards in all directions and the door of the, shop was smashed in three feet. A yoke, pictures and farm implements in the show window were scattered helter-skelter. It was an unlucky clay fo the shop's proprietor who philosophically surveyed the wreckage for 13 panes of glass in the front of the shop were shattered. An event which will be of interest to horsemen throughout Western Ontario is the sale of horses and racing equipment of the Ahmeek Chapter IODE is making a col- lection of papers of all kinds and magazines for the benefit of Alexandra Hospital. Will those having made a collection kindly place them outside their front doors on Thursday morning, May 3 at 9 a.m.' and they will be called for. Owners of cars who can spare a few hours• to help out in this good work for , the hospital are 'earnestly. requested to volunteer. Will those who are willing to assist, kindly telephone No, 56 before Mon- day evening. A new serial to be. commenced at the Model Theatre under the title -The Secret Kingdom" is a story that in°every one of its chapters is a thriller. It is now being played at the Regent Theatre in Toronto. It is dif- ferent from any serial that has yet been given here and covers such'a wide range of adventure that any attempt at description would he almost useless. The first install- ment will he given Monday and Tuesday, May 6 and 7. and everybody who likes a gripping story should be in at the beginning abolish v, to do away with i a law, institu- tion or custom) completely; put an end to: "to abolish slavery". i F aboliss-, stem of abolir, fusion of two verbs, 1. abolere ''destroy", and I. abolescere "die out" i. Sounds kind of final, doesn't it° i thought capital punishment in this country had been "abolished" a while back, but apparently it hasn't, else the Regressive Regurgative federal govern- ment led by Brian Mulroney wouldn't be bringing up the debate on state- ' sanctioned snuffing once again. Frankly, why bother? Oh, 1 know — Mulroney promised a free voted)n capital punishment during the last electihn campaign. But is that any reason to actually do it? Everyone knows that election promises are made to be spoken, not kept. After all, David Peterson's provincial Liberals promised us we would he able to buy beet and wine down at the corner store just like the grown-ups outside On- tario, but we still have to buy it from him. ,Judging by the public opinion polls, nobody is holding Peterson's lack of ac- tion against his government. So, why would we treat the feds any different"' Ahyway, 1 thought government's were supposed to reflect the concerns` of the general populace in their choice of sub- jects for deliberation? It's been a long time since i heard any of the boys knock- ing around the idea of a return to the death penalty between periods of the hockey game. inflation, gasoline prices, free trade, world peace. who shot lit? These are the kind of things the average ('anadian is sweating his brain cells over. Capital punishment, so to speak, is largely a dead issue. Nobody has proven any great statistical link between the death penalty and declines i or rises i in t e murder rate. In fact, latest stats ow murders are becoming fewer an urther between in recent years, d•..1 e the lack of the noose, Even though the occasional inevitable exception occurs, most killers in this country are amply punished for their crimes. Life imprisonment, even if it means only 10 or 15 years in reality, is still a terrible and frightening,fate. Most murderers are not tile type to sit down and weight the need to commit their crime against the potential punishment anyway. They tend to make spontaneous decision5while in the midst of holding up a ,convenience store, or going a few rounds with their spouse. The most compelling arguement against execution remains the possibility. however remote, of. executing an innocent person. There is no margin for error when it comes to taking a human life. from this angle Patrick Paftis 'Sorry, we were wrong," just does not cut it once someone is dead and buried. Still, the most irritating aspect of this renewed debate is it's pointlessness. While the impending vote aledgedly leaves MPs free to cast their ballot ac- cording to their own consience, few among the Tory majority in the House w91 completely overlook Mulroney's own position l opposed to the death penalty) when it conies time to count heads. Mulroney believes he will look like an extra -swell guy, having kept his promise to hold a free vote, while at the same time helping to insure Canadian's don't end up with an unwanted return to the uncivilized practice of state -sanctioned killing. Meanwhile. he has managed for a short time anyway. to die.°ert public attention from such things as the myraid scandals involving his cabinet members and the drastic reduction of his once -record per- sonal popularity levels. ry 1